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On puppies and such…

ARoB, General Entertainment by

So I went home this weekend. I think this was the weekend when I realized that going home is more annoying than just sitting in my apartment alone. Not that this realization hasn’t been on its way: taking the cat and all of his accessories or packing for Xmas has given me a taste of how obnoxious this is in the past. However, this time was particularly awful. I had to get my shit together in PLASTIC BAGS because we took Nate’s truck. On top of this, Nate insisted upon not putting some things in the bed, so I was not able to move for two hours. There and back. While holding stuff on my lap. There is barely a radio in his Tacoma, more like headphones stuck to the door and turned up loud. Plus, Nate has a way of making you feel more rushed than ever in your life…we had to leave as early as possible on Friday, no time to even have a snack in the apartment (and talking him into stopping at all was a challenge) and then he just up and decided that 7 was the magic time for leaving yesterday evening. Go!

Aside from the drive, my house is a disaster. My mom has partitioned off the entire living room so her dog cannot get to the carpeted sections. This means stepping over at least one piece of furniture to get in. On top of that, the areas that are dog-approved are FILLED with toys – squeaky birds and fluffy dinosaurs everywhere. You cannot leave Bailey alone at all, apparently…someone must watch her at all times. And she has to go out like 15 times a day, if not more. No exaggeration. Plus, I think the most irritating part is that it’s ALL my mom talks about. How many times she pooped, where she peed, when she got a bath, blah, blah, blah.

On risk of sounding like a jealous older brother, I’m SICK of dogs. I just want my family back. I mean, I made a fucking trek across the state to see them for the weekend and they really just wanted to play with their puppy.

Cute as she is, it was too soon for her to be adopted. My family is so not over Ebby dying and is using this new dog as a way to make right whatever shortcomings and guilt they carry from their time with the last dog.

It’s seriously too cold…

ARoB, General Entertainment by

9º? Are you for reals? I guess this is what happens when Ma Nature is drunk on warmth over Xmas…she makes us all suffer through one HELL of a hangover in the New Year. “Please stop, mom. You’re hurting us!” I call for an intervention. Someone invite her over for dinner…we can use my place. Call up all her friends, even the enablers (I’m looking at you, North Wind.)

So, yeah. Hello, internet. I feel like I’ve been neglecting you lately. I didn’t really mean it…I’ve been very busy with reports at work and other mind-numbing tasks. It’s just that when I get home, the last thing I want to do is be near my computer. Is there any way I can visit you in a more relaxed and sofa-connected way? Perhaps without a keyboard? Get back to me on that. You know my email address.

Hmm. I think the cold has gotten to my brain. I’m going to thaw and maybe I’ll try again this weekend. I’ll probably have photos of my mom’s puppy to share.

Review: The Black Dahlia

ARoB, Movies, Reviews by
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The Black Dahlia

A few minutes in and I had to descibe to my brother what film noir is because The Black Dahlia is a pretty excellent example of the genre. However, more generally, it’s not really an excellent movie. The characters seemed a little blank and the plot didn’t exactly come together in a grand sweep of genius…more like the story’s key points were shaken up in a hat and then randomly arranged as the “conclusion.” I guess you get that with the tale of an unsolved murder. Redeeming qualities: Scarlett Johansson in old Hollywood style, Hilary Swank looking decidedly less manly than usual and a few (unintentionally) hilarious lines. Well worth watching if you are in the mood for a good old fashioned detective story. Josh Hartnett pulls off the jaded cop thing well, Aaron Eckhart is fantastic and who doesn’t like the 1940s aesthetic?

4 stars

Bloc Party’s “I Still Remember” video is out…

ARoB, Music by

…and it’s actually really good. I definitely agree with most reviewers that it’s not my favourite track on the album (thanks for reminding me it’s available, Dusty!) but the video is a lot of fun. Plus, it’s a happy song and sometimes you need that after a day of making charts of unique client appointments. Trust me on that one…

Le video.

Also out is Kele, the lead singer. And the song is apparently his exploration of his own sexuality and such and such. Overall, not something to get particularly excited about. However, in reading some of the press about the album, the song, his step out of clositude and the band, I did find this disturbing excerpt:

“One of the gay-themed songs on the album, “For England”, is an exploration of bullying which also touches on the death of gay barman David Morley and the sick phenomenon of “Happy Slapping” in which violent acts are captured on camera for sport. Morley’s killers fatally beat him and captured it all on their cell phones. Said Okereke: “The whole idea of happy slapping … Filming you causing pain to someone, for your own amusement – that really repulsed me. That song is about the fear I have about what could happen on a night out. I have the feeling that it’s only a matter of time.”

I demand to live in a world where musical genius is not threatened by fuckwads that bolster their macho egos by beating and killing. Can you seriously imagine being the lead singer of a fantastic band and AT THE SAME TIME worried that each night you spend out celebrating your success could end in your own tragic attack? Gah.

Numbers are all up ins…

ARoB, General Entertainment by

My brain is swirling from an entire afternoon of processing appointment reports for work. An art major is not made to deal with this many numbers in one fell swoop. It’s almost enough to make you speak in l33t…or worse! Except not because I hate it when people do that. Hard.

Is it wrong that I was getting lots of enjoyment out of typing “End Time” over and over just a few minutes ago? Because I was.

I told Nate to clean up the Foreman grill last night after he used it to cook chicken. My reasoning was that Clyde would make an utter mess of the kitchen over night if it was left out. Nate’s solution: hide the grill, still filthy, in the oven. Could my real family please stand up?

Pay day is tomorrow…I’ve been waiting on this check since before Xmas. Things were starting to reach a Clark Griswold pitch over here.

This is why I’m going to be single for a long time…

ARoB, Music by
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I calculated tonight that my music library (4,595 songs at press) is composed of .9% Duran Duran (44 songs.) I don’t know statistics, but I feel certain that three tracks in one hour while on shuffle is kinda significant.

I may be lonely but I have excellent 80s music to keep me company.

Geek 4EVA, bitches!

Panels…

ARoB, Art by

This new image is a variant of a painting idea I have running through my brain…figured I’d use the computer to do up a quick draft. I was going for a slightly South Asian feel with the colours and the exotic wood panels. I think the palette could be considered Tibetan, too but that would throw us geographically out of whack. Anyway, here it is:

Panels

You may download it directly (1440 x 900 resolution) or check it out on my portfolio, as always.

Delayed wow…

ARoB, Music, Television by

So, you are listening to Muse, correct? How could you not be…Black Holes and Revelations is probably one of the most epic pop albums ever. If you – for whatever unfathomable reason – aren’t hooked, you definitely need to see this video of their performance of “Starlight” from the MTV Europe Music Awards:

Clickity-click here!

Have you seen something so beautiful? The sheer number of lasers is astounding. LASERS! And the song is gorgeous on top of the theatrics. It’s been circulating on the MTVs that actually play videos, so keep your eyes peeled…well worth it to see this in higher resolution than a piss poor FLV.

Dear sirs, the iPhone (and other things)…

ARoB, Technology by

God. Apple announces a product and suddenly all I hear is “Nick, what do you think of the iPhone?” I’ve received literally ONES of calls about this (Hoover, I’m looking at you) and I just cannot take the pressure of being the only resource on the matter on standby. So, I’ll break it all down for you here:

  1. It’s unbearably sexy. If you haven’t seen it, get out from the ditch you were sleeping in just now and behold.
  2. Ridiculous expensivity. $500 for 4 GB, $600 for 8 GB and that’s WITH a two year sex-slave commitment to Cingular. Have you tried to please Cingular? They are insatiable.
  3. Anytime Apple makes something shiny, it’s prone to scratches. Besides, the smudge-ability of this thing gives me nightmares.
  4. The potential for it to be a full portable computer is very intriguing, especially since it’s running OS X. I’m definitely excited to find out just how much OS X it’s actually running.
  5. Multitouch. Watch the videos. It’s incredible.
  6. Only 8 GB for $600 (with contract?). Assuming that Cingular is giving you a $200-300 subsidy, the device should be about $800. That’s nearly a computer. A full-size iPod is averaging about $249 for 30 GB of capacity. I understand that it’s ridiculously thin, but I’d take the added bulk for more capacity. Besides, if it’s giong to live up to portable computing, the space could come in VERY handy (see above.)
  7. Never buy Rev. A Apple hardware. I learned this with my first 12″ PowerBook G4, 17″ iMac G5 and now my 15″ MacBook Pro. This time, I’m following my own advice.

In things that aren’t phones: My scarf is almost done. I’m really slow with this whole knitting thing, but I’ve gotten my attention span up to about 10 rows, so progress is absolutely flying. (Laugh if you understand knitting.) I also have a grad school visit arranged for 23 February in Philadelphia. The lovely Ms. Lindsie has agreed to host my ass – and probably the rest of me – so I’m very excited for another weekend in the city. I’m also not plagued with strep, like I thought…just a standard issue cold right now. It’s an excuse to sleep a bunch, which I am in favor of doing.

Three albums for a rainy Sunday…

ARoB, Music by

The Flower Book – Emilie Simon: Believe it or not, MTV can actually play good videos…well, MTV Hits, that is. I saw the video for “Flowers” and, being the big stop motion sucker that I am, fell immediately in love. The album alternates between warped lullabies and electronic glitter, all while keeping an air of cool only attainable by the French. Magnifique!

Datarock Datarock – Datarock: Completely and totally the soundtrack of a hipster dance party. Well, at least as I imagine the doucheflakes of Blue States Lose living out a dance party. That shouldn’t be a turn off, though…it’s a really fun album full of semi-electro/semi-scratchy indie pop. And it’s Norwegian! (I don’t know what bearing that has on anything.)

i com – Miss Kittin: She’s lovely. Her music is just as exactingly Euro-beautiful. This album sounds like an art school media project about the Interwebs. It’s tacky and sophisticated all at the same time. If you love beeps, clicks and vocorders, you’re set. And who doesn’t, really?